Instinct
by kajamiku
Summary: How much of an encounter is instinct and how much is free will? Sesshomaru x Kagome
1. Chapter 1 : Instinct

**Title:** Instinct

**Author:** kajamiku

**Fandom:** InuYasha

**Disclaimer:** Unfortunately, InuYasha doesn't belong to me

**Pairing:** Sesshomaru x Kagome

**Rating:** NC-17

**Summary:** How much of an encounter is instinct and how much is free will?

* * *

**Chapter One - Instinct**

Kagome fell to the ground by a river, panting heavily and wincing at the pain even that small movement caused her. One of her hands clutched her side, trying to stop the blood flow beneath the material she had used as a bandage. _Great, just great_, she thought scanning the area to make sure she had escaped properly and nothing had followed. _This must have been that sorceress's plan, to isolate me from everyone else…_She took another look around her. _Well, she did her job well enough._

Whatever that large blast of purple energy had done to her, besides making a gaping hole in her side, it began to happen then. A sharp pain racked through her, shooting from her damaged side up and across her chest. A small wounded gasp escaped her, as she doubled over in pain. She clutched herself, shrinking into a small ball as the agonising twinges tortured her body. But just as soon as it had come, it disappeared and she was left wondering and shivering on the grass.

Once she was sure it was over, she cautiously moved to sit up again, moving slowly and carefully. Then she placed her free hand on the ground in front of her, and her eyes widened at what she saw. Her hands seemed to lengthen before her eyes, the fingers becoming longer and the nails changing into a sharp point. She saw the markings appear on her wrists, but didn't quite believe it. Kagome closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying not to panic as a strange tingling sensation, combined with a feeling of being stretched, consumed her body.

She released a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding, her eyes finally opening as the feeling dissipated. She winced at the sight of her transformed hand, knowing it hadn't just been a moment of madness.

Kagome clambered to her feet awkwardly, before realising that her wound didn't hurt anymore. Somehow she knew it had been healed, even if she could smell the blood on the bandages. _Wait,_ she thought as another moment of fear possessed her,_ since when could I smell blood like this?_ She stumbled over to the river, falling to her knees there and peering into the water with a sense of both amazement and worry.

Her ears were tall and pointed, both hands possessing claws and markings, her face had markings as well, and she was obviously taller since her clothes didn't quite fit as well as they had before. She had to remove her shoes straight away because her feet had changed. She had sharp fangs in her mouth as well, the canines longer than they had been before.

Kagome spent the next few moments running her hands over the differences in her strange new body. She admired the markings, of which she found more on her upper thighs and her sides. She stood to try out her claws on a nearby tree, first making small cuts, and then slicing the entire tree down with one blow. She backed off in astonishment, staring at her clawed hands.

_So this was that old woman's intention… was it so Inuyasha wouldn't recognise me…?_ That had to be it. The old woman made sure to separate her from everyone, and now she was a demon to be hated by her group. But did the woman expect them to fight? If she told her friends, they would know it was her… right? Either way, she couldn't stay here, Kagome's new senses could feel all sorts of demons nearby, and she could also feel something menacing watching her. She wished she had a change of clothing, but the best she could do was clean up a little in the river before she set off.

She took to a random direction, allowing her instincts to guide her, and kept her nose to the air, trying to sense out Inuyasha and the others. The thought occurred to her that she might not recognise their scents… but she reasoned that there wouldn't be many half demons and humans travelling together and in that case she could simply use that to find them.

She hadn't gotten far when something completely alien almost threw her to the ground. A large wave of heat flew over her, making her skin break out into goose pimples, and she shivered until it passed, her entire body reacting to it. It was overwhelming, a sensation much like that of being plunged into warm water, but harsher as if that water had an inexorably strong current.

Kagome felt light-headed as her eyes sought through the trees for the cause, and she felt her body moving towards the presence that created it, even as the human part of her brain screamed at it to stop.

She reached a clearing, a place that was ominously hidden in the middle of the forest, and came to a halt just outside of it, near the tree-line. Her new demon senses had already located the origins of the feeling that had assaulted her earlier, and she found her eyes pinned on one Lord of the Western Lands. He was sitting near the middle of the clearing, in among the long grass, and there was no sign of his usual travelling companions. He was staring at the rapidly darkening sky, and his eyes seemed both unfathomable and dark. Kagome had never seen him look so beautiful. Her new senses allowed her to see him on a whole new level, and on that level he was completely breathtaking.

It seemed to take only a few seconds before he realised she was there, but when he did, his nostrils flared and he took a deep breath mixed in with her scent. His expression changed rapidly, and he reached out a hand towards her, making a sound deep in his throat, a kind of half moan, half growl.

She wanted to take a step back, had almost done it, but at the oddly alluring sound and his reaching towards her, her body froze. He looked so wanton. So alone.

Kagome suddenly found herself standing before him, but she couldn't even remember the steps she took to get there. Her body was fixed by his gaze, which seemed cloudy, and the gold was deeper and darker than she had ever seen it before. But it wasn't that he commanded her there, in fact when he found her before him he reached out and grabbed her wrist to try and compel her to stay, his expression silently imploring.

Kagome allowed herself to be pulled to the ground; she did not protest when Sesshomaru pulled her close to his body, nor when he pressed his face against her neck. Her human mind was too lost in demon sensations to voice much of anything, and her body seemed to have taken control of the situation in her mind's absence.

Sesshomaru growled against her skin, brushing his teeth lightly over the flesh, and she couldn't stop herself from shivering. That action alone caused such a flare of heat in her body, she almost couldn't believe it. When she felt a clawed hand sneaking over her thigh, seeming to caress the markings he surely couldn't see, she knew that this was not a normal circumstance. In a normal circumstance she would have pulled away. In a normal circumstance she would have screamed bloody murder and slapped and kicked until she got away. This was not a normal circumstance.

She felt his impatient hands tearing at her clothing, and when he pressed against her again she realised that he wasn't wearing his armour. He wore only a simple kimono, and his swords lay on the ground a few metres away.

Sesshomaru did not take his time removing their clothing, and they were pressing skin against skin before Kagome even realised it. He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, and then moved down, cupping one breast in his clawed hand, the thumb caressing her nipple, while he took the other into his mouth. Up until this point Kagome had been responding little, but at this new sensation she arched into his mouth, gasping and not caring that she was acting as wanton as he had seemed before. She laced her hands into his soft silver hair as his attentions shifted and in the back of her mind she knew she was being rough on the silky strands, but his lavish and currently roaming attentions were not to be taken lightly and she couldn't bring herself to much care. Sesshomaru, at least, didn't seem to mind in the slightest, and he continued with renewed fervour until Kagome's flesh was heated and flushed.

He had moved down, and Kagome could feel the bite marks on her thighs singing as his attentions moved once more. But her thoughts were torn from thoughts of the bites in favour of the sharp flash that threw her entire body as she felt his tongue probe her in places she hadn't thought he would. Her back arched again, and one of Sesshomaru's hands pressed against her lower back, supporting her as she writhed to his touch.

Then his face was before her, his golden eyes, darkened further with lust and passion, bore down on her and she moaned when he kissed her, tasting herself on his tongue. Kagome's arms encircled his neck, and she pressed herself against him, enjoying the small pleasured growl he allowed at the action. He pressed himself between her legs, and she could feel his erection throbbing against her inner thigh.

Her skin felt unbearably hot, sensitive to the slightest touch, and her eyes were having trouble staying open with the assault of new feelings and pleasures. She felt Sesshomaru press open-mouthed kisses over her neck and collarbone, his mouth seeming a pleasant relief for the skin it touched. She knew it was a distraction when he kissed her mouth again, but when he slid himself inside her, she knew no pain. She only felt another wave of shuddering want for him, and she bit his tongue lightly while it paused in its exploration of her mouth.

Seeing that what he was doing seemed to cause nothing painful, he seemed to see fit to allow himself to let go of his control. He had been careful before, even with his heat upon him, he could sense her virginity and though it had threatened to topple him with its beauty, he had refused to give in to instinct too quickly. Now, however, he allowed himself full reign. He knew that she wrapped her legs about his hips after the first few thrusts, but it was just some fleeting thought; in this moment it was all about himself and the pleasure he could get from the female beneath him.

Kagome felt his loss of control as easily as if it had been her own, and the results of it dashed all human thoughts in an instant. In that time it was all a demon's need for completion and the demon she was with was simply a way to achieve it, it was just rutting now.

As his thrusts became more and more violent, faster and probing deeper, they both drew closer to what they needed. Their minds were a whirling storm of sensations and lust, hot and cold at the same time. Their bodies were wreathed in sweat and they were panting from exertion. In the moments approaching their end, Sesshomaru's mouth trailed down to his partner's neck, exploring the skin and searching for the place he wanted. As the moment shook them both, Kagome let out an uncharacteristic and surprisingly loud howl, feeling the vibrations of a similar sound in her partner's body as he found his release. But the sound was muffled, his teeth had already chosen their place by then, the junction between neck and shoulder, and he had sunk them in deep enough to draw blood.

The last racking shudders and sounds died, and Sesshomaru released the female's shoulder, moving up to possess her mouth. Kagome could taste her blood in his mouth, but it wasn't an unpleasant thing. This final bloody kiss lasted for a few moments before the Lord rolled onto his back, taking Kagome with him, and closed his eyes to savour the aftermath of the unexpected event.

It was true, he hadn't expected this at all. He had chosen this place because it was not known to many, and he was almost positive there had been no other compatible demons in this area. He had checked beforehand. He had resolved himself to his usual week's torment, sitting in the place alone and wanting. Then she had appeared. He had just caught the scent when the wind changed, and when he turned the most attractive female was just standing there staring at him, obviously caught in the thrall of his aura now that he was in heat. When he looked at her, however, she looked like she was going to turn and flee, and he knew she was young. Only now he could feel ashamed at how openly he had wanted her, had implored her to stay with him. But with her weight above him, warming his rapidly cooling skin, he didn't really regret it.

Kagome's senses didn't fully return until she began to feel cold and, after only shivering once, the man she was lying on enfolded her in his arms. That was the moment that she realised what had happened. What the hell had she done? She just slept with Inuyasha's brother! The Lord of the frickin' Western Lands! _Oh, crap…_

He felt the female tense up and frowned, wondering what on earth could be wrong with her. He opened one eye and it just so happened that his, now clear, eyes caught on the clothing he had earlier ripped from her body. The strange clothing was instantly recognisable, and he sat up abruptly hearing the female squeak as she fell backwards. Sesshomaru gripped the female's upper arms and examined her, watching as she squirmed under his gaze. It really _was_ her! The strange priestess who wandered with his brother! But no… this was a demon… a beautiful demon… He frowned again, not happy with the ignorance this presented him with.

"Who are you?" He asked her, and she tensed further.

"Um, Kagome…" She said, and shrank away when the dog demon's expression darkened, vaguely wondering if he was going to kill her.

"How?" He expected her to know what he was talking about, and luckily for Kagome she did, she wasn't sure she wanted to make him any angrier without a weapon or Inuyasha to protect her.

"A sorceress… I mean, we met an old woman and I got injured and separated from the others." She gestured at the wound in her side, which Sesshomaru offhandedly remembered licking earlier. He made an ambiguous sound, and Kagome watched his more open expression disappear. At a vague gesture towards her clothing Kagome stood and went to get dressed, trying to ignore her heated blush and embarrassment.

By the time she was done, Sesshomaru was kneeling on the grass in his kimono again, massaging the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache.

"I will return you to my brother." He decided aloud, standing to return his swords to their rightful places at his side. Kagome nodded, even though his back was to her.

_I couldn't help it_, she thought half desperately, _it was just unfamiliar instincts_. And to a degree it was, she could well remember her inability to move away when he pinned her with his eyes. But there was part of her that knew it wasn't wholly true.

_It was just instinct_, Sesshomaru told himself, _there is no reason to worry about such a thing. She was an attractive demon and I was in heat._ His attempts to convince himself only went so far. The fact that he had used 'attractive' in relation to the priestess turned demon was a clear indicant of that.

_Yes_, they both thought as they turned to face each other again,_ it was just instinct_.


	2. Chapter 2 : Consequences

**Chapter Two - Consequences**

Kagome had wondered whether things could get any worse when she was transformed into a demon. Then she had come across Sesshomaru and… well, you know. After that she had wondered whether things could get any worse and said demon returned her to Inuyasha. Now she knew she would never tempt fate again.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha stood facing his brother, Tetsusaiga drawn and pointed threateningly in his direction. "What the hell have you done to Kagome?" Having been informed that the demon standing beside Sesshomaru was indeed the priestess he knew, his spluttering confusion had turned into raging suspicion.

The differences between the Kagome he had lost that morning and the one standing before him now were obvious, and the immediate conclusion was that something had happened to her. Whether Sesshomaru was the cause or not, he was here and Inuyasha needed to _do _something, even if it was to have a pointless fight with his older brother. It also didn't escape his notice that there was a dark crimson stain marring the white of the girl's shirt. Kagome reeked of blood, earth and Sesshomaru.

"Inuyasha! Sesshomaru didn't do anything!" Kagome tried to protest… and was ignored. Inuyasha raised his sword, Miroku and Sango's shouts seemed useless and any attempts to get his attention appeared unable to get through to him. The older brother raised an elegant silver eyebrow.

_Sometimes I wonder how he can be so thick-headed…_ "_Sit_!" The echo of Kagome's shout was almost obscured by the sound of the half demon being plunged into the dirt.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha whined, lifting his head and reaching a hand out to support himself as he tried to sit up. It seemed that this tactic had worked where the others had failed.

Despite her annoyance at Inuyasha's behaviour, Kagome still couldn't completely forget the anxiety she felt at standing so close to Sesshomaru, or the embarrassment of remembering what had earlier happened. The way Miroku and Sango were standing nearby, their eyes questioningly moving over the two of them was also disconcerting. She fidgeted a little, becoming still only when a pair of cool golden eyes flickered in her direction, a silent command lingering in them.

"Kagome…" Miroku and Sango seemed to have drawn closer and Kagome attempted to creep towards them, stopped once again when the movement attracted Sesshomaru's attention.

In these few moments, Inuyasha had managed to stand again and was stalking towards his brother and the nervous priestess turned demon, now eyeing them _both_ warily upon his approach. He stopped with a cautious distance between them and an expression of annoyance and frustration flickered across his face.

After a distrustful and uncomfortable silence, Sesshomaru made a gesture towards the demon-priestess without looking at her; "I have returned the woman. Do not blame me for your own weakness and negligence, Inuyasha." He said nothing to Kagome, did not even spare her a glance, as he turned on his heel and disappeared leaving said woman to explain everything.

--

"So she was trying to turn you into a demon." Miroku pressed his forehead against his staff, which rested on the ground in front of him. His eyes were closed, his jaw set, as he considered the situation.

Kagome had explained what had happened from the time the sorceress separated them, up until they were reunited, while leaving out the incident with Sesshomaru. She didn't even want to think about _that_ let alone have to tell the others about it. She did suspect, however, that Miroku knew she was hiding something, even if he said nothing about it. Sometimes he was sharper than they gave him credit for.

"But why would she do that?" Sango paused in her polishing of hiraikotsu, worrying the tattered cloth between her fingers. She was worried about her friend, not just because of the magic that had transformed her, but because of the details of her return to them. Though Kagome had not said much about her time with Sesshomaru, she found it a little obvious that something had happened, even if she had no idea what it was.

Kagome sighed heavily at the question, reconsidering her earlier thoughts on the subject. They seemed less than likely to her now, but they were the only ideas her exhausted mind could come up with.

She tugged at the sleeve of her temporary kimono, trying not to upset Shippo, who had fallen asleep on her lap. The fox child's earlier worry and their energetic reunion had worn out the little kit, so he slept peacefully unaware of the serious discussion going on around him.

It was dark, the evening having set in an hour earlier, and the nightly chill was just settling in. The fire cast shadows over Kagome's face, making her look less like herself, or so Sango thought as she took to studying her friend's changes once again.

It was amazing how such a transformation could make her look so completely different, and yet somehow remain the same Kagome. Sango could see Kagome, she knew it was the same person as soon as she first caught sight of her emerging through the bushes with Inuyasha's brother. She was different; her eyes were slitted, her body longer, her hands possessing sharp claws, her teeth had become fangs and the demon markings certainly stood out… However, there was something indefinably _Kagome_ that sent all doubts flying through the window.

The demon girl finally voiced her considerations, her voice uncertain. "I thought it was to separate me from you guys. Drive us apart, you know? I mean even Inuyasha didn't recognise me until Sesshomaru said-"

"I did!" Said half-demon kept his eyes closed, indignance making him frown, his arms and legs remaining folded in his characteristic pose. "Your scent just had demon in it, that made it confusing and I just wasn't sure, alright?" His voice was gruff, aggravation lacing it. He sounded as if his nasal integrity had been insulted, which must have been a bit of a blow to someone who relied on it so heavily.

"It's alright Inuyasha, I was just saying." Kagome attempted to soothe him, but received only a slight grunt in response.

The demon had been grumpy and snappish since Sesshomaru left, obviously frustrated and unable to vent any of the anger with no one to fight or curse sufficiently at.

"Unfortunately," Miroku seemed to consider the words before he spoke, "that makes very little sense, logically. If your scent is still similar and you have control of your actions and words then it is very unlikely that we would doubt you." The monk sighed. "However, the old woman vanished soon after you did so it's impossible to tell for sure."

"Will I… How long do you think I'll be like this?" Kagome raised a hand into the firelight, her eyes catching on the markings and claws. Unbeknownst to her, Inuyasha was also watching the movement.

Miroku's eyes finally opened, sombre with the situation. "I'm sorry Kagome, but I really don't know."


	3. Chapter 3 : Recognisable

**Chapter Three – Recognisable**

Surprisingly, Kagome need not have worried about changing back. By the next morning her claws, markings and every other indication that she had ever been anything other than human had disappeared.

"What a relief…" Sango commented, hugging her friend the moment she was awake enough to receive the gesture. Kagome spent some time looking at her hands over Sango's shoulder, amazed that the spell had worn off so quickly. She had expected something much worse. Shippo was also clinging to her, the little fox seeming far happier with normal Kagome than with the demon that had carried her scent.

Inuyasha stubbornly refused to comment on her changing back, going so far as to turn his head away when Miroku reprimanded him for it. Kagome did, however, see the half-demon watching her more than usual throughout the morning, as if she were about to suddenly change again before his very eyes.

Journeying resumed as normal and the group set off without trouble, all discussion of the previous day seemingly forgotten to the majority of the group.

However, Kagome kept pace automatically, remaining beside Sango with Shippo in her arms, and stared at the ground in front of her as if not really seeing it. There was too much for her to think about for her to simply pretend.

Although her demon form had dissipated, her body was left with a strange feeling of numbness, with a pressure to it that it hadn't possessed before. It was almost as if there was some essential muscle that she wasn't using and that was making her body feel less than her own. She had to remind herself that the demon body hadn't exactly felt like her own either, and when the group passed a lake mid-afternoon, she couldn't help but look into the water.

Kagome couldn't help but feel that there was something wrong with her. Shouldn't she be happy to be back to normal again? Instead she felt very little about it, a nonchalance she thought was uncharacteristic in such a situation. She was still worried about the reason behind her transformation.

The sorceress that had attacked them had done it in the morning, while they were packing away their camp to continue walking. Kagome assumed that it was because the woman didn't smell like Naraku that Inuyasha hadn't noticed her. He had been more fired up than usual, since Koga had appeared the day before and done his normal boasting and showing off, and that probably worked to the woman's advantage.

She also, Inuyasha had told them, had not smelled like a demon. Or, not completely. When asked whether she was a half-demon, he simply said he wasn't sure. This struck Kagome as odd, since he'd definitely gotten a good whiff of her when she attacked him.

She was silver-haired and looked as old as Kaede, but moved almost as well as someone a third of her age. Her eyes were the most eerie shade of red Kagome had ever seen. The purple light that she had sent at Kagome had, she had already decided, been aimed specifically for her. The question was, why?

As unsettled as she felt about not knowing what was going on, she couldn't even concentrate properly because her thoughts kept returning to her meeting with Sesshomaru. She felt her cheeks heat up again at the memory. She hadn't told the others anything about it, had simply said 'met up with him' and nothing more, even though she could tell that they didn't completely believe her.

Half of her wanted to see Sesshomaru again, just to see if he would act any differently towards her – but why would he? He'd been his usual self when he'd given her back to Inuyasha – and half of her wanted to just go back to her own time and hide from him forever. She felt conflicted over several issues and it was giving her a headache.

"…Kagome? Kagome!" She blinked, realising suddenly that not only was Sango trying to talk to her, but everyone had stopped walking and were staring at her worriedly. She flushed slightly.

"Sorry, deep in thought." She forced a laugh, feeling uncomfortable, and the others exchanged glances. _Great_, she thought miserably, _now I'm worrying everyone_. "Really, I'm okay. I just needed to think about things, you know how everything's been lately…" _Sorceress, transformation, demon-ness… Sesshomaru…_Sango smiled slightly, putting a comforting hand on Kagome's shoulder.

A sharp pain shot across Kagome's shoulder, she leapt backwards in shock, crying out and almost dropping Shippo in the process. Her free hand automatically gripped the sore area and she gasped at her tender it was. Vaguely she could remember how Sesshomaru bit her there… but she immediately stopped thinking about that when she realised everyone was looking worried again. _Okay… and how do I explain this…?_ Keeping secrets was hard.

"Sorry." _I'm apologising a lot._ "I hurt myself yesterday when I was, uh, out on my own and, uh…" She looked at the ground, uncertain and feeling awkward. She had never been the best liar when it came to her friends and things like this. If she accidentally let something slip out…

"Kagome, are you sure you're alright?" Miroku frowned, taking a step closer, slowly as if trying not to spook her. Kagome sighed and nodded, still not looking up at them. She knew they were all trying to work out what was going on, but until she knew she couldn't exactly explain. Talking about the sorceress always inevitably led her thoughts to Sesshomaru and she didn't want them to know about _that_…

"I really am fine. I just need a bit of time…" Finally, she looked up and tried to convey through silence how much she really just needed that for a while. After a few moments, Miroku turned on his heel and began walking again, swiftly followed by Sango and Kirara, Shippo, who had at some point vacated Kagome's arms, at their heels. Inuyasha spent a moment longer staring at her, as if trying to work something out, before he too turned to walk on, hands folded inside his sleeves.

Kagome didn't know how long she could keep this up, how long she could deal with all of this uncertainty. She followed her group's uncharacteristic silence along the dirt track, her thoughts still buzzing. It would help if she had answers to any of the hundred questions that plagued her, but as it stood she didn't even have one.

--

A week had passed before anyone realised it. Kagome was no closer to solving the many mysterious than she had been and it was beginning to press harder and harder on her, making her more reclusive than she had been.

She lay with her eyes closed in the evenings and listened to the hushed whispers of conversation between her friends and knew they were trying to help. But when Sango one night sighed and said, "I almost feel like I don't recognise her anymore…" it began to get to her.

Kagome knew how she was behaving, knew that she should really stop being so selfish and try to help out a bit. She'd endangered the group numerous times already with her brooding but even that hadn't seemed to shake her out of it. She wished she could just consciously stop herself from acting the way she was, but she couldn't seem to do it. Until the pain in her shoulder ebbed, she almost felt, she would remain like this.

--

The village was quite a large one, on a green hillside with farms being tended at the bottom on the flats. It was a lively place, apparently completely untroubled, unlike the rest of the country, and the brightness of it seemed to lighten the traveller's spirits as they wandered through.

They stopped people as they walked, asking about the usual things, but most of the villagers seemed unaware of the danger lying just outside of their valley. Some of the children didn't even believe it.

"Ah well, there's a reason behind that, though none of the kids would know about it." An old man near the middle of the village they spoke to seemed understanding of the group's confusion. "We haven't had any demon attacks of troubles in ten years." He explained, much to Inuyasha's blatant disbelief and everyone else's surprise. "See that white tower over there?"

The man pointed at the other side of the valley, where a tall pure white tower stood against some trees. It appeared to have four floors to it, from what Kagome could see, and the curved roof seemed to have lanterns hanging from its corners. There were unfamiliar black symbols over the paper shutters covering the windows.

"That there is our protection. That's why we don't get attacked like we used to." The old man was pulled away by his daughter before he'd even finished speaking, and despite both his and Miroku's polite protests, her suspicion of them seemed to win over and she practically dragged him away. The group stared after him for a few moments, mulling over what had been said.

"I don't know what to think of this." Miroku admitted. "It's true that I don't feel anything menacing here, if anything it seems to be cloaked with something benevolent of feeling, but the fact that everyone here is so detached from everything outside of here…"

"They seem a bit too grateful to that tower if you ask me." Inuyasha's hand rested on Tetsusaiga. "I think we should barge in there and find out what the hell's going on in this village." Miroku shook his head and Sango sighed at the words, expected though they were. Kagome looked up at the tower again, frowning at the strange feeling she got from it.

"Well, whatever we do, it's going to be dark pretty soon." Shippo piped up, jumping onto a stone wall and looking around. "A girl told me there's an inn over there." He pointed to a large house with an archway that two women were just bowing and entering. Miroku nodded.

"That would probably be for the best. We don't even know whether there's anything troubling in this area, so we should probably just gather information." Everyone watched with flat looks as Miroku followed the women inside, and Inuyasha mumbled a half-hearted threat before he decided to follow. Shippo and the girls certainly had no argument with sleeping on a soft bed and eating good food.

--

"My dear, you look troubled." Kagome looked up at the old woman who addressed her in surprise, blinking at the comment. "Why not go visit the Seer?" Kagome frowned at this; a Seer? As in, someone who could see the future? She must have looked sceptical because the old woman gained a knowing look. "Do not doubt her, my dear. Go to the Lady of the Tower." She advised. "She's sure to help you."

_And that was how it happened_, Kagome thought to herself as she snuck past the last huts on the farmland and began to climb the opposite hill. It was tough going since not only was she going uphill at an awfully steep angle, but she couldn't see very well in the dark and kept standing in pot holes and sliding on the damp grass.

Eventually she reached the flat area around the White Tower, and she stopped to catch her breath, her eyes flitting back to the well lit inn everyone was staying at.

It was a nice place, the people were all friendly and helpful, it wasn't all that expensive and the food was good. The villagers seemed to be used to travellers and despite some initial suspicion on Inuyasha's part, they welcomed the group in fine style.

Kagome sighed, _they're probably enjoying themselves right now…_ She turned to face the Tower again, feeling intimidated suddenly, it was quite an imposing structure and obviously built to last. There was a small courtyard surrounding the tower and the archway leading into it had a gate that was already open. That was probably as much of a welcome as she would get, she decided.

Sucking in a deep breath, Kagome walked slowly but determinedly under the arch, across the cobbled courtyard and, pausing before the wooden door and noticing that it was already ajar, pulled on the bell cord and slid her way inside.

The bell sound was quiet, but thrummed beneath her feet as if it was supposed to be louder. The first room was obviously an entrance hall and there were wooden steps leading upwards from the practically empty room, so Kagome chose that way. She walked as silently as she could, the quiet of the Tower making her feel as if she were in a library not only with this but with the hundreds of books she had already seen. The shelves were everywhere and there were other piles in corners of the room as well.

Kagome paused at the top of the first flight of stairs, looking around once more before she ventured into the room. There were candles lit in this room and a wide couch-like chair with no legs against the far wall. The couch was covered with bundles of cloth and pillows and there was a pile of books on either side of it, a low table before it, and bookshelves hiding the walls behind it.

There were stairs in one corner and Kagome was just about to move in that direction, when some movement caught her eye. She jumped, pressed her back against the wall in surprise and hoped that this wasn't all just some trap.

"You are… Kagome, yes?" The quiet voice was a low one, unmistakably female but with an unfamiliar accent. Kagome's eyes frantically sought the source of the voice, finally finding it when the woman lifted her hand and waved it to catch her attention. "I apologise. I'm used to the dark in here and I often forget that not everyone can see as well in it as I can."

Kagome moved hesitantly closer as the hand bid and suddenly the room was lit substantially enough for her to see somewhat.

There was a woman sitting on the couch among the clumps of material, which appeared to be her clothing, and she had just lit a few extra candles to help her guest see. Finally the woman's features were visible and Kagome couldn't stop herself from gasping at what she saw.


	4. Chapter 4 : Tower

**Chapter Four - Tower  
**

Kagome stood stock-still in the doorway, hand over her mouth as a minute or more ticked silently by, unable to believe what she was seeing. The woman sitting among the cushions, a large open book before her on a low table, had snow white hair and bright purple eyes that were exactly the same shade as those of the old sorceress that had cursed her.

The woman broke the silence carefully, her voice soft and low and soothing as she reached out beseechingly with one pale hand. "Please, don't be afraid. I will not harm you." Like letting the air from a balloon, at these words Kagome immediately calmed. The sudden calm cleared her thoughts and she realised that the two couldn't be the same person; the sorceress was far older than this person, who seemed not much older than Kagome herself, and her expression was soft and compassionate. "Please, sit. I wish to speak with you," she continued as Kagome's thoughts strayed to fetching the others, "if you leave the Tower I cannot follow you, so please stay."

"Why… why can't you follow me?" Wild thoughts concerning curses and cages flitted through her head.

"I am bound to this place by an old spell." Kagome worried suddenly about how safe she was here and she fought the calm that kept descending over her like a warm blanket, positive it was an enchantment of some sort. The Seer folded her hands into her white kimono sleeves, as if resigning herself to abide by whatever Kagome decided to do. "I cannot force you to remain here if you do not want to, but I would prefer to speak to you of matters concerning the Lord Sesshomaru and the sorceress who cursed you privately." The purple eyes closed and Kagome could have sworn the room's light dimmed as they did so.

"I'll stay." Kagome said eventually, moving cautiously to sit on the flat cushion opposite the Seer, eyes searching the room for possible traps. The woman smiled slightly, opening her eyes once more. Kagome waited for the Seer to begin, still a little wary.

"I will first ask you to forgive me." Pushing herself from the table slightly, the Seer moved down into an apologetic bow. Kagome moved closer, kneeling up and reaching out uncertainly with her hands, embarrassed and wanting to help the woman sit up again but too unsure of the situation to do so. "My sister has caused you great trouble and it is my fault that she has done so. I cannot apologise enough."

"Your sister?" She paused. "Please, raise your head." As Kagome met the purple eyes again she was struck by the sincerity she found there, the troubled look.

"Yes. She is my younger sister, a woman who ages." At Kagome's questioning look, the Seer embellished. "In my Clan, a Clan that has spanned hundreds of generations, it is rare for a couple to have two children, especially the heirs. I was heir to my mother's great power, the matriarch of our people and one of the few of us who were left." She paused. "You see, an heir does not die until _their_ heir is of age. My sister was the younger and therefore aged and inherited very little power. This made her angry and she nursed a great resentment and feeling of inadequacy in her life's years. I watched her age before me and become more and more unhappy and I could not stand it. I felt I must do something to make her final years more comfortable." The Seer stopped, seeming to read something on Kagome's face. "I'm sorry, I'm pushing my troubles onto your young shoulders but I want you to understand."

"Of course." Kagome shook her head insistently, somewhat interested in this story of a long lineage of magic-using people she had never heard of. "Go on." The Seer smiled again, seeming somewhat grateful.

"Thank you. My sister was old and like any sibling I did not want to see her die so miserable and unfulfilled. I brought her before me in this Tower, which at that time was simply my study, and told her of this, asking her what it was she would desire to make her final years happy ones." The Seer's eyes lowered, seeming heavy and sorrowful as the woman's white hands tightened around the material of her kimono. "She requested that she be allowed my power for a time. She asked that I channel my power to her and allow her to roam the land as the heir in her last years. I, fool that I was, agreed and the moment the spell was complete she chained me to this place and vanished into the wide world." She met Kagome's eyes. "As long as I remain inside this Tower and under her spell I have enough power to protect the village and See, but no more. The rest is forcibly channelled to her and keeps her from aging any further." She smiled suddenly, tears building in her eyes. "I didn't want to lose her, you see, but in choosing this path she has long been lost to me and I to the rest of the world."

Kagome watched the tears roll down the Seer's unnaturally pale cheeks, feeling awash in sympathy and wishing she had not needed the poor fragile woman – girl, she now seemed – to remember such painful memories. But within moments the Seer was impatiently swiping the tears away with her sleeve, her slightly reddened eyes serious and strong as they met Kagome's once more.

"Enough of that, I have had enough time to cry over things past." She folded her hands gracefully on her lap, regaining composure seemingly effortlessly. "Kagome, I wish to help right the wrong done to you in any way possible. Please, ask of me and I shall aid you as much as I can."

For long minutes Kagome processed all she had been told and, coming to a few conclusions, she decided to ask some questions. "Why did your sister turn me into a demon?"

"She was trying to nullify your miko abilities with youki. Such purity of spirit could undo her will and send her to the grave. She fears this and, the moment she drew the thought from my mind, has been travelling the land transforming miko into foul demons by sullying their pure spirit. I managed to interfere a little when she attacked you, making the spell less specific so that your strong powers could accept the youki and simply allow it to live inside you. It is, therefore, my fault that you transformed." The Seer bowed her head again.

"But without that I would have just lost myself and become something ugly and evil, right? You saved me really, don't punish yourself for that." Kagome reached across the table and took one of the pale hands in her own, trying to hide her shock at how cold it was. The Seer looked apologetic.

"With my power drawn out to such a degree I have to conserve what little energy I have in order to stay conscious and See. Protecting the village can only be done due to the amplifying effect of this Tower." Kagome considered his, adding the information to that which she was already using to make a plan. She began playing with the sleeve of her kimono absentmindedly, missing her school uniform slightly.

"What did you mean about my powers allowing the youki to live inside me?" Kagome questioned next, pulling the cool hand into both of hers. The Seer was staring at their joined hands with uncertainty and something akin to wonder.

"As you know, youki and a miko's purifying abilities do not exactly live together well," Kagome snorted in agreement, "they fight one another and the stronger will usually destroy the other. I did not want this to happen; without your miko spirit you would have been overcome by the youki and become a monster. Due to the youki being so strong you would not be able to simply purify it, especially since it was pushed inside your body by the wound my sister gave you. Blood is related to spirit, after all." Kagome nodded, listening avidly to the explanation and connecting it to knowledge she already had, putting the pieces carefully together. "My interference created… rooms, if you like; one for the youki and one for your miko enegy. To put it simply, you have access to both of these rooms but, like a river cannot flow both ways, you cannot open both doors at the same time." The Seer paused. "Do you see?"

Kagome struggled to understand the concept, imagining the two rooms, one miko and one youkai, and something like a floodgate that meant while energy was flowing through one door the other could not open…

"I think so… But why am I just miko Kagome now? Why can't I use the youki?"

"Because you have not opened that door. Your miko door is open now, not the youkai one. When your youki is flowing, however, you will no longer be able to use your miko powers and your body will return to as it was the day you were cursed."

"I see." Kagome only partially saw, but she was beginning to understand. The Seer seemed to know because she smiled and nodded. "How do I open the youkai door?" She was somewhere between excited and frightened at the prospect of becoming a demon once more; there was some fear that if she opened that door she might not be able to close it again.

"It will be painful and time-absorbing at first and will need a good deal of concentration and willpower, but I think you'll be able to do it quite easily with enough practice." Kagome's enthusiasm was dampened just slightly at this, but she had already made her decision; she couldn't have something like that and not use it, as a demon wouldn't she have extra speed and strength? Enough to protect herself properly so that she needn't be the damsel in distress all time? That sounded good to Kagome.

"Will you teach me?" The Seer blinked in surprised, as if she hadn't predicted this, and seemed to think for a moment.

"I could… But I cannot leave this Tower. I am sure there are others more suited to teaching you such things… Perhaps a miko who can help you with your purification skills as well…" Kagome had leaned forward and was smiling brightly, her mind obviously made up. The Seer stopped her feeble protests and allowed herself to bathe in the freshness of the girl's presence, unsure whether it was her miko energy or just Kagome herself who radiated such warmth and compassion.

"What's your name?" Kagome asked after a moment, sensing the Seer was deep in thought and would probably answer automatically.

"Mitsuko." The name slipped out without the Seer thinking and she blinked away he considerations in the realisation that she had not heard her name spoken aloud in decades. Her sister only ever called her 'onee-sama' with that tone of disdain that she never seemed without ever since Mitsuko had been locked in the Tower and those who visited her would only call her 'Lady'.

Kagome repeated the name, smiling around it as if she knew how good it felt for the Seer to hear it spoken. Mitsuko nodded and smiled in response, giving in easily, much to the other girl's apparent approval; it seemed there was now more than one person in the world she couldn't say 'no' to.


End file.
